It’s time to put a lid on the naysayers and crack open some of the most delicious and healthiest food staples available — nuts

Yes, nuts — what the “food police” have been warning against for years, yapping about how high in fat and calories they are.

Well, I say nuts to that!

Because researchers at Yale University have just released a study looking at how eating nuts can help prevent a recurrence of colon cancer.

And in addition to fighting cancer, you won’t find a better and tastier way to keep the doctor away!

Prevention grows on trees

I’m not sure how much more proof we need before experts say “case closed” — the best way to prevent a return of one of the deadliest cancers out there is simply to eat nuts.

Previous research has turned up some remarkable findings about how a wide variety of nuts can protect you from colon cancer – and the amazing evidence continues to unfold.

The latest findings come from Yale University, where researchers followed over 800 patients who had already received surgery and chemo for colon cancer, closely monitoring their health and their eating habits.

Their conclusion after over six years of careful observation?

Eating more nuts is linked to a “significantly reduced incidence of cancer recurrence and death in patients with stage 3 colon cancer.”

Wow, you would think that’d be “breaking news” and put in banner headlines everywhere! But I never fail to be amazed at how little media attention is given when word comes out about a natural food or substance that’s found to prevent or cure a deadly disease. Of course, any half-baked result obtained by a Big Pharma product is given the celebrity treatment.

There were two other exciting takeaways:

The cancer patients who ate at least 2 ounces of nuts a week were able to up their chances of “disease-free” survival — in other words, not having their cancer return — by a whopping 42 percent over those who didn’t include nuts in their diet.

The nut eaters also had close to 60 percent better odds for “overall survival.”

The type of nuts that provided these amazing benefits were mostly tree nuts — a group that includes almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, and pecans — but also peanuts, which aren’t considered a “true nut” because they’re officially a legume.

And that measly 2 ounces a week amounts to around 48 almonds, 36 cashews, or a mere 24 hazelnuts – not much at all. And that’s especially true if you start cooking with nuts or adding them to dishes such as salads and yogurt.

But wait, if nuts can provide these miraculous benefits to colon cancer patients, could eating nuts also prevent this terrible disease from ever taking hold in the first place??

The answer to that is also a resounding yes!

Two years ago, we told you about some research out of Korea that was related to nuts and colon cancer prevention — results were so positive that you could say that they put nuts at the top of the healthy food pyramid!

For example, that study found that men who consumed nuts regularly could lower the risk of ever developing colon cancer by an astonishing 69 percent. Women were able to lower their odds of the disease even further – by an incredible 81 percent.

But preventing colon cancer isn’t the only thing these “fruits” can do for us (most nuts are botanically considered fruits!).

They’ve also been found to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing diabetes and other kinds of cancer.

Plus that, a study done several years ago discovered that eating these medicinal munchables can jump-start a process known as “reverse cholesterol transport,” something that allows HDL cholesterol to literally unclog and remove fatty plaque from your arteries.

What more could you possibly ask for in a snack food?

So, if you don’t already make it a habit to cook with nuts, it’s time to include these delicious treats in as many dishes as you can. And there are plenty of ways you can do that. Why not cook up some walnut shrimp, toss some almonds into your chicken salad, or just snack on some cashews or macadamias.

Once you start adding more nuts to your cooking, not only will your dishes be getting a taste boost, but you be giving your health and longevity a big boost as well.